joining me now is richard wolffe and angela. thank you both for coming on the show tonight. >> thank you. >> it's a hard sell but republicans seem to crumble on a bunch of these issues. what's going on? >> they are picking fights they cannot win. they are picking fights about defense secretary who is always going to have enough votes. yes, they mess around with him. he was always going to get confirmed. it's a bit like the sequester. they have to cave. the pressure is too intense watching this unfold. medicaid dollars, really, are you going to have governors with the supreme court saying you have a choice. governors are going to turn down dollars that make them more popular. they are not picking smart fights here. that leads to a bigger question. will they ever break out of what bobby jindal call the stupid party? that's the thing they are facing right now. >> angela, you work the hill. you know it better than most people in this town. you were there in 2010 when the tea party movement was at its height and had a lot of strength